November 5, 2026
Each soul is different, and each has its own reason for having come to this planet. This understanding aligns with the spiritual concept that we are all unique aspects of God, created to express those divine qualities in our lives. But there are different levels and dimensions of our purpose, some of which may be far deeper than we realize.
When considering our soul’s purpose, some spiritual teachers suggest that, before we were born, our soul had a conversation with the Creator about coming into this world. In this sacred conversation, we may have discussed with God the things we needed to work on during our earthly life—the kinks we needed to smooth out in our being, the soul qualities we needed to develop, the lessons we needed to learn to become more fully conscious, and the impurities we needed to burn away.
Spiritual teachers such as Neale Donald Walsch, Connie Kaplan, Brian Weiss, and Caroline Myss have explored the idea that, before birth, our souls helped choose a life blueprint. According to these teachings, we may have had a part in choosing the circumstances into which we would be born—our gender, social class, race, intellectual capacities, health, and even the family into which we would arrive. In other words, our soul may have participated in choosing the very body and circumstances through which we would experience earthly life.
Some teachers, including Brian Weiss, go even further, suggesting that before our birth, we knew something of the trials and difficulties we would meet in the life we were about to enter. These experiences, according to this concept, would provide the very lessons our souls needed for their growth and development.
These spiritual teachers raise a fascinating possibility, one well worth our consideration. If we are eternal souls that have somehow become separated from the fullness of our divine nature, might our earthly lives be the context for relearning our original wholeness? If the soul is progressing toward a restoration of its divine consciousness, might our experiences on earth be the very means through which our soul qualities are restored? Could it be that our joys and sorrows, our triumphs and failures, our relationships and losses, and even the circumstances our egos would never have chosen are steppingstones toward our soul’s restoration? And might this be our meta-purpose—the overarching purpose beneath all our other purposes: to awaken to our divine nature, embody it, take part more fully in the expression of God on earth, and ultimately achieve union with the Divine?
Of course, the idea that our soul might have chosen some of our suffering raises difficult questions. The possibility that our trials may be part of our soul’s growth invites us to look beyond the surface of our experiences.
Spiritual Practice
For a moment, imagine that before your birth, you entered into a sacred contract with God concerning what you were to experience, learn, and become during your earthly life. If such a contract existed, what might some of its clauses have been? Take a few moments to write down several possibilities. Consider the recurring lessons, challenges, relationships, and growth opportunities that have appeared throughout your life.
Inquiry
Why might it be challenging, or even troubling, to consider the possibility that our souls chose some of the trials we would encounter during our earthly lives?
Prayer
Dear God, as I wrestle with these mysteries of the soul and its purpose, help me keep my eyes on the unalterable truth that I am Your child. Whatever I may or may not understand about my journey, may I never lose sight of the love from which I came and to which I am returning.
Amen
